Roseburg review. [volume] (Roseburg, Or.) 1885-1920, 1887-05-20
TIE CLIMITE OF UMPoUI T4LLEI

The equable and delightful climate
Of the Umpqua valley is proyerbial. 1t
cannot be equaled on the Pacific coast.
This is the result of natural causes not
generally understood. BY a refer
ence to a map of this state it will he
seen that Douglas county lies in a sort
of ''hollow square," or trough whose
outlet rim is the Cascades on the east
the Coast range on the west, the Gala
Pooia mountains on the north, and the
Cow creek mountains on the south;
the latter two mountains being spurs
or branches of the Cascade mountains,
as it were, linking them with the Coast
range of mountains forming an area of
1900 square miles, all of which is
drained by the Umpqua river that
cuts through the Coast range and dis
charges its waters into the ocean near
Gardiner The Coast range acts as a
wind break from the west and the Cal
apooia performs like Office from the
winds Of the north, and the Cow creek
hills from the south. An east wind is al
most unknown in this valley. Now the
prevailing winds of winter being from
the south, southwest and west, the
afore mentioned barriers break the
force of the winds by DETECTING them
upward, and before they can descend
to the valley they arc again DETECTED
upward by the Cascade range and car
ried on, thus forming high aerial
current above the valley. The result
is, we have no violent winds in this
valley And as the winds from the
ocean are surcharged with watery va
por at temperature much above the
freezing point it modiies the temper
ature inland, till it meets the cold air
high up on the mountain ranges where
congealation takes place and the vapor
is precipitated in the form of snow,
while in the valley it is simply con-
densed and falls in mist and rain.
BY inspecting the map of this coast
and of Douglas county it will be seen
that the prevailing winds of winter
will pass over this valley soon after
leaving the ocean; and as they do not
pass over sufficient extent of terri
tory inland to materially lower the
temperature by mingling with cooler
al. of the valley which is but few de-
grees lower than that of the vapor
coming from the ocean, we seldom
have snow i'll the valley. The general
trend of the coast line is from south
east to northwest from San Diego to
Cape Mendocino California and from
the latter place to the straits of Fuca
it Is nearly north and south. A
knowledge of meteorology will enable
one TO understand how the vapors of
the ocean as it is carried inland by the
winds is condensed to mist, rain, hail
and snow.
The Umpqua valley is inland about
sixty miles from the ocean, till the
river turns westward near the north
line Of the county aud cuts through
Coast range, along which portion of
the river the valley is very narrow
The Coast range acts as reflector Of
the suns rays in the forenoon, the
Calapooia range at midday and the
Cascades i'll the afternoon which in
conjunction with the warm air of the
ocean keeps up the temperature of the
whole valley to temperate degree
during winter. And were it not for
another phenomenon in summer the
same cause would operate to raise the
temperature of the valley to an OPP
pressive degree of warmth, but the
prevailing winds of summer are from
the north and northwest direct from
the cooler regions of the Pacific which
reduces the temperature again, and
keeps it at about minimum degree.
Thus the natural phenomena existing
with regard to the change in the di-
rection Of the winds with the change
of seasons, the true altitude of the
valley, and the high clrcumjacent
mountains combine to equalize the eli
mate of the Umpqua valley to an al
most uniformity Of temperature; the
winter average being / ! and the sum-
64 degrees, for The lowest winter tenn
peraturc never dl ops down to zero and
the highest summer temperature sell
dom above - degrees. These natural
causes now operating will no doubt
continue tor all time and thus we may
reasonably suppose our climate will
always remain as it is making Douglas
county "the Italy of America
THE interstate commerce bill having
done away with free passes, we ex-